


Take Me To Church/Sympathy For The Devil

by rachelarcher



Series: Winchester Gospels - When All Is Said And Done [5]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Archangel Gabriel (Supernatural), Bisexual Female Character, Bisexual Male Character, Charlie Bradbury is a Winchester, Charlie Lives, Charlie Ships It, Dean Ships It, Dean is a Little Shit, F/F, F/M, Freeform, Fuck you very much, Gabriel Being Gabriel, Gabriel is a Little Shit, Gen, Honest, Hurt Dean Winchester, Loki Needs a Hug, M/M, Maybe - Freeform, Multi, Other, Sam Ships It, Sharing a Bed, The Heart, Wincest - Freeform, angels are still not quite nice, based on a tumbler post, bobby believes in angels, bobby isn't sure where his life went wrong, bobby thinks too many to count, bunker exist much sooner than you would think, but this family ends bloody, carter is not in the mood for shit, castiel has more feelings than other angels, castiel is super curshing from the word go, chick is king, chuck declares his is god and carter believe him, did i mention lucifer is like a good guardian angel, did i mention there is sex, drop anchor, everyone deserves an immortal soulmate, family doesnt end in blood, gabriel really wants sammich love, he is a innocent little child, hell was a bitch, how many kinks can the winchesters have, immortal winchesters, is that possible, it really is all consuming, jars of dirt are mentioned, lots of angels who should die don't die, lucifer is the best brother, lucifer thinks his misbehaving demons are cute little puppies, man its all about the heart, maybe he is less of a dick than normal, meg masters is my hero, micheal needs some help, more of an absentee father, probably not, rebelling is as sexy as it gets, thank you pinterest feels for ruining my life, there are a ridiculous amount of ships sailing right now, there is no light at the end of this tunnel only hellfire, trickster love, unless your samadriel, was this worth it, who knows with this cannon divergence, winchester seven has struggles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-31
Updated: 2017-11-03
Packaged: 2019-01-27 01:58:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12571184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rachelarcher/pseuds/rachelarcher
Summary: Carter and Dean are in hell.





	1. Hells Bells

For forty years, Carter lived in a small room next to the large cage that housed Lucifer’s grace. His actual form taking on bodies of various forgotten imports of hell as he dwelled with her in the small room. They spent most days wandering through the vast diminishing gardens that surrounded his cage. “Michael and God created it to look like the Garden of Eden, but with my grace diminishing, the garden’s are starting to as well.” 

“Your Grace is strong enough to give you the vessels you use when you come to me, isn’t it?” Carter had asked in the beginning, “Why am I not with Dean? Is he in a Hell like mine? Why is mine more like Heaven?” There was nothing she could not get, if she wanted it, and her nights were spent wrapped up in his arms, comfortable, in love, and relaxed. 

On the morning of the first day of the 41st year, a demon came to Lucifer, he whispered something, which made Lucifer nod curtly and motion her over from the pool she had been lounging in. “Your brother, he has fallen. I ask now, would you rather he torture you for the rest of eternity or would you have him tortured souls that come through hell.”

Carter didn’t miss a beat, “If what you say is true, I will bear the weight with him, I will stand with him, he can torture me for eternity, I have had a wonderful time with you, but my brother needs me now, Lucifer.” She kissed his lips, hugged him tight, and let the demon lead her away.

Each night no matter what torture she went through, Alastair carried her to Lucifer, and he healed her, inside out, pressing kisses to her face to her soul, promising that soon it would all be over, soon an Angel would come, no matter what he wanted. “I love you.” He whispered against her, tears on his face. This woman had broken him, changed him.

-/-

For forty years Dean was tortured, for hours on end, his mind wondering where Carter had gone, they had been carried together to hell, then ripped away from each other. At the end of everyday Alastair asked Dean if he would like to come from the rack. He said no, countless times, then Alastair said that Carter wasn’t far away, and he could see her if he came off the rack.

Dean conceded, joining Alastair on torture. His first and only victim, his sister came to be on the rack. She didn’t scream or cry out the first day, although the man that followed behind her some days later, he sobbed, he screamed at Alastair who continued to say, “Master, this is what was ordained, it must happen.” Finally that man stopped coming. 

That was when Carter screamed for the first time, “LUCIFER!” Her voice quaked and Hell itself seemed to shake, even though Dean was not completely himself, he knew the reaction of the pit was because she was Lucifer’s soul’s mate, she was the queen of Hell.

For weeks their ritual was the same, Alastair taught him a new method, and Carter refrained from screaming as long as she could, at the end of each day, she would look to Dean, “I love you, I bear this with you.” She would tell him, her soul placing a kiss on his. He was returned to his cage at night, but she was carried away by Alastair, and the next morning, she would be chained to the rack completely healed, and once more he was allowed out again.

-/-

Solid blue light engulfed them, blinding them. Dean had just slipped a hook through Carter’s lower rib cage, Dean felt like he was being engulfed, his last thought was “Don’t leave my sister, I need her…” Carter felt something hot, burning on her ribs, the blue light seemed destined to burn her through. The tug was upward, fast blinding. 

-/-

Gasping for breath. She woke in a small darken coffin. “Shit shit.” She whimpered, Sam had not given them a hunters burial, apparently. She groaned in the darkness, her fingers finding franchise on wood. She shuffled hoping Sam had buried what they needed to get out with them. Finding her knife in her pocket she went to work.

-/-

He woke slowly, his body trembling, and unsure of where he was. He grunted, finding a lighter in his pocket, his heart raced, Sam had buried him. He sent a silent prayer of thanks to John Winchester for making him and Carter dig their own graves, then dig themselves out. When he finally broke the surface, pushing through the dirt, he found Carter, stretched out on her back, arm slung over her eyes and breathing hard. “Took you long enough,” She snarked. “My time is still better.”

“Bitch.”

“Jerk.”

And they laughed, Dean pulled her to her feet, and crushed her in a hug. “You're not a demon?” He questioned.

“No, and you're not one either.” Carter nodded at him. “Dean, whoever brought us back, it was an angel. Lucifer told me it would be.”

“You and the devil got close, huh?” Dean tried to joke.

“Dean, I shared your burden with you. I chose that, chose to be the soul you tortured for eternity, you know that right?” She caught him, dragging his arm to her, and his body, then they were hugging, crashing into each other, holding on hard. 

Dean lost it, tears spilling on his face, and hers, he wrapped her even closer, pressing kisses to her temple, to her face. For a long time they stood clinging to each other crying, holding, and finally Carter pulled back from her older brother, mouth twisted in a small smile. “This is what we were wearing…” Her voice dropped off.

“Right. We were down there a long time.” Dean’s eyebrows bunched together, “We need to figure out what year it is.”

“Mhm, what do you think happened here?” Carter gestured to the trees around their twin graves.

“No clue, nothing good. Something powerful.” Dean frowned. “You serious about thinking its an angel.”

“Dean, Lucifer knew.” She countered.

“So, first name basis with the Devil?” Dean asked solemnly.

“Yup, you know, I’m not sure why I am back, to be honest.” She paused. “Your angel didn’t have to bring me back. I had a pretty sweet setup down there. Living like a queen, huge ass swimming pool, all the nice things I could ever want, my soul was at peace.”

“Do you know how fucked up that sounds?” Dean grumbled.

“That the one time I am at peace with everything it is in Hell?” Carter chuckled. “I know, let’s get a move on, we must be close to where we died, right? Sam wouldn’t have driven us too far, not all mangled up and with the kid in the car.” 

“Maybe.” Dean frowned. “Let’s say the angel theory is right, where the hell is the angel now?” Dean snarled.

“Dude, I don’t know how that works. And I can’t even begin to understand - I think that all of the angels do things different. I mean, Lucifer was sending me visions long before I knew he existed.” She paused. “But that might be because he’s still pretty strong, his grace is diminishing but…”

“His grace?” Dean asked as they continued walking.

“Dean, for forty years I spent everyday with the Devil, we talked a lot. I understand now why he fell from grace in the first place, he was the first ever created, when God was lonely, together they created the heavens, the earth, the universe, Lucifer means the bringer of light, he was the sun in the universe. Together they made the archangels, the lesser angels, but alone God made man in his image, then God demanded the angels love and worship man with his flaws more than God. It was something Lucifer couldn’t do. He loved his maker, his master too much, he sought out the creature he loved second best to God, their first angel - Michael. It was Michael who betrayed Lucifer to God.” She paused, “You asked about Grace, right, it’s what gives Angel’s their uhm, mojo, I guess. Their powers, what makes them holy. Lucifer’s is trapped outside of his soul in a cage in the middle of Hell. It’s getting weaker with all the millennium that have passed. I don’t think it’ll kill him, per say, but it definitely doesn’t help him.”

“You know, sympathy for the Devil, it ain’t smart, Carter. Not if you're pretty sure an angel pulled us from Hell.” Dean groaned. “But, if you spent that much time with him, and don’t find him to be a completely horrible person, and he wasn’t actually lying to you…”

She rolled her eyes, linking her fingers through his, as they strode on. It was an hour later that they found the gas station, relieved they both ducked into it. It was in the bathroom she discovered the blue green hand print burned into her flesh, emerging with her shirt yanked up her eyes locked on Dean, who had a similar hand print on his shoulder, as if someone had gripped them both tight, when they were pulled up.

The gas station shook, the windows blew out, and Dean dropped to his knees, covering his ears. Carter howled in frustration. “HIS NAME IS CASTIEL! DEAN!” She screamed shaking her brother, to no prevail. The shaking stopped abruptly, and she looked him over, his nose bleeding and his ears dripping small trails of blood. “Your angel’s name is Castiel, and he just tried to talk to you.”

“How could you hear him?” Dean snarled. 

She shrugged, thinking back to being able to see Gabriel’s wings. “I don’t know, Beany.” She grabbed at a newspaper, “September 18, Thursday. Beany, it’s 2008. How long were we in Hell?”

“We needta call Sam, and Bobby.” Dean declared. “Seven months, sounds like.” 

Carter broke open the safe in the gas station, drawing out two fist fulls of quarters and led the way to the payphone. She whirled, on her heels for a moment when she caught sight of black wings, a shiver ran down her spine, and her mind screamed, “CASTIEL.” 

The response was immediate. _“Queen of Hell, Carter Winchester.”_ She stood shell shocked, the voice reverberating in her mind. _“IT is troubling that YOU can hear me, and the righteous man can’t, however you have been talking to an Angel for a long time, maybe you are conditioned.”_

Dean dialed a number out of memory, he slammed the receiver back down. “Sammy’s number is disconnected.”

“We told him to take Adam and run with the kids, for him and Bobby to get the hell out of here, out of this life, and never ever look back.” Carter muttered, pressing into the phone booth with her brother. “Your angel is sassy.”

“How so?” Dean asked, quirking a smile. 

“Just called me the queen of Hell.” She muttered, fishing out more change, and pressing it towards Dean.

“Well, your Lucifer’s girlfriend, so it’s kinda fitting.” Dean chuckled, taking the offered coins, and dialing Bobby’s number out of memory.

They balanced the phone between their ears the best they could. “Yeah?” Bobby questioned.

“It’s us.” Dean deadpanned.

“Who’s us?” Bobby snapped.

“Carter and Dean!” Carter snapped back.

Bobby hung up. Carter dug more change out, and Dean re-dialed the number.

“Who is this?” Bobby snarled after the second ring.

“Bobby, listen to me.” Dean demanded.

“This ain’t funny, call again and I’ll kill you.” Bobby growled.

“Bobby, this isn’t a joke!” Carter almost shouted into the receiver. 

Again, the line went dead. “Son of a bitch.” Dean growled.

“Dean, look.” Carter pointed at a run down looking Pontiac. “Let’s hot-wire it and get the hell out of here.”


	2. Amazing Grace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Carter seek out Bobby.

“Dean.” Carter was fiddling with the radio. “Maybe we don’t mention what went on in Hell, until you're ready. I’ve come to terms with it.” Carter muttered.

“In eight hours, you're ok with everything I did to you?” Dean questioned.

“Dean, trust me, my soul feels fine, I feel fine, if the situation were reversed you would have done the exact same thing, right? You’d of volunteered to be the only soul I tortured.” Carter muttered.

“Would I?” Dean frowned. “I don’t know, Carter.”

-/-

Carter made it to the front door first, then waited on her brother, once they were side by side, she pounded hard on the door. When Bobby opened it, he frowned. “SURPRISE!” They both shouted, stepping forward.

“I… uhm… you…” Bobby lunged forward, silver knife in hand, making a wide sweep aiming for them both, Carter ducked to the left, Dean to the right, and they caught him, Carter forcing the knife from his hand, as Dean held him tight around the middle. Bobby punched Carter, knocking her on her ass.

“BOBBY! IT’S ME, DAMNIT!” Carter shouted.

“STOP!” Dean ordered a moment too late, when Bobby backhanded him.

“MY ASS!” Bobby broke free from them both, Carter jerking forward, shoving a chair in his direction, Dean caught the chair, and backed away, pushing Carter protectively behind him.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait! Your name is Robert Steven Singer. You became a hunter after your wife got possessed, and... you're about the closest thing I have to a father. Bobby. It's me.” Dean tried.

“You were the first man to ever tell me I was pretty, Bobby, and you taught me to dance in this kitchen when that boy Jamie Martin asked me to the eighth grade Sadie Hawkins. You're the best dad I ever had.” Carter continued.

For a moment it looked like Bobby believed them, then he surged forward again, with a silver blade in hand. Carter caught him, twisting his arm the knife clattering to the floor. “We’re not shapeshifters.” Dean shouted.

“Then you're a Revenant!” Bobby snapped.

Dean grabbed the blade, and frowned. “If we were either, could we do this with silver?” Dean cut his own arm, far enough up he wouldn’t nick anything important, then he grabbed Carter’s arm, cutting a similar mark in her forearm.

“Dean? Carter?” Tears were welling in Bobby’s eyes, he looked around the kitchen for a moment, then drew them both into a tight hug.

“That’s what we have been trying to tell you!” Carter whimpered into his embrace.

“Were back.” Dean sighed.

When they pulled back, Bobby looked somewhere between relieved and concerned. “It’s good to see you, kiddos.” 

“Yea, you too.” They said in unison. Carter holding her blood soaked arm through shirt, and Dean clasping his own bloodied arm. 

“How’d you bust out?” Bobby asked.

“No clue.” Dean started.

“An angel, maybe?” Carter mused.

“We… we woke up in those boxes… buried.” Dean frowned.

The next thing they both knew, Bobby had splashed them with holy water. Carter narrowed her eyes and sighed. Dean just looked defeated. “We ain’t demons, either, you know.” Carter sighed.

Bobby shrugged, grabbing two dish towels and pushing them at the kids. “Can never be too sure.” He led them deeper into the house. “That doesn't make sense, you two just coming back.”

“Preaching to the choir.” Dean grumbled. Carter a step behind him.

“Dean, Carter. Your chest was ribbons, your insides were slop. And you've been buried seven months. Even if you could slip out of hell and back into your meat suit-” Bobby was stopped short by Carter.

“We should look like Thriller rejects.” Carter grumbled.

“We talked about all that.” Dean frowned.

“Well, do either of you remember anything?” Bobby asked, sinking into his recliner.

Carter and Dean both flopped down heavily onto the couch. Carter let Dean talk, worried that she might say something about Lucifer and not wanting Bobby to think she came back damaged goods. “Not much. I remember I was a Hellhound's chew toy, and then... lights out. Then I come to six feet under, crawled out, and her ugly mugs laughing at me, cause she beat me. Sam's number's not working. He's, uh... he's not…” Dean looked at his hands, worry on his face.

“Adam? Ben? Lucas? Elliott?” Carter questioned.

“They are all alive, at least last I heard, as far as I know.” Bobby offered.

“What do you mean as far as you know?” Carter snapped.

“Ain’t talked to Sam in seven months, Adam was checking in until about three months ago.” Bobby muttered. “Adam has been using one of your old numbers, Carter.”

“So, you just let him… go? Let him drag the kids through hell?” Carter snapped.

“He was dead set on it, on continuing your work, your father’s work.” Bobby sighed.

“Bobby you should be looking out for him.” Dean snapped.

“I tried. These last months haven't been exactly easy, you know. For him or me. We had to bury you. Both of you, we never reckoned on losing you together, you were their parents, both of you raised them, all five of them, and they needed you both. I needed you both.” Bobby growled out, pain on his features.

“Why did you two bury us?” Carter asked suddenly.

“Were hunters, you should have burned us.” Dean added.

“Sam. I wanted to salt and burn… the usual deal… but Sam and Adam, they said you’d need your bodies when you got back.” Bobby offered, his own confusion showing through.

“Hate to say it, but I’m glad he won that one.” Carter chuckled.

“What do you mean about when we got back? What did Sam do?” Dean snapped.

“I already told you, I don’t know where he is or what he has been doing.” Bobby sighed. “I have no clue what he and Adam though they could do to get you back.”

“Dammit, Sammy.” Dean growled.

“What?” Bobby asked.

“Whatever brought us back, nice and all cleaned up, it had to be bad mojo.” Dean declared.

“Even if it was an angel, no one helps a Winchester for free.” Carter agreed. 

“What makes you so sure it was bad?” Bobby asked.

Carter and Dean shared a look, then she nodded, carefully. “You should have seen the grave site. It was like a nuke went off. And then there was this... this force, this presence, I don't know, but it, it blew past us at a fill-up joint. And then this.” Dean tore off his outer shirt to reveal the blue green handprint on his arm, “Go on, Carter.”

Carter stood, pulling her shirt up to reveal a similar handprint on her rib cage. “See, it marked us.” She was pretty sure Castiel could hear them, and was slightly worried about the implications of the handprints, but for now would let Dean think it was bad.

“What the hell.” Bobby placed a hand tentatively over each one.

“It’s like a demon, or angel if Carter is right, yanked us up.” Dean grumbled.

“Or rode us out.” Carter added.

“Why?” Bobby asked, curiosity on his features.

“To hold up their end of a deal.” Dean deadpanned.

“You think Sam made a deal?” Bobby asked.

“Or Adam.” Carter suggested, her body was heavy in its own ways, she had been without a meat suit for a very long time and was wondering if Dean felt the same fatigue as her.

“It’s what we would have done.” Dean agreed. “Hey Bobby, can we sleep a bit,” He yawned. “Then we can go find Sam, this body being back business is kind of heavy.”

-/-

They slept for almost twenty-four hours, and when they woke up, Bobby was glad he had thought to go to the store, two dozen eggs and a mess of bacon later, Dean was on the phone. “Yeah, hi, I have a cell phone account with you guys, and uh, I lost my phone. I was wondering if you could turn the GPS on for me.” He paused, “Yeah. Name's Wedge Antilles.” Another pause, then “Social is 2-4-7-4.” After the longest pause so far, “Thank you.”

“How’d you know he’d use that name?” Bobby asked, mildly surprised.

“You kiddin' me? What don't we know about that kid?” Carter chuckled, as she continued on the dishes. She had started picking up beer bottles by the time Dean had the laptop going.

“Hey, Bobby? What's the deal with the liquor store? What, are your parents out of town or something?” Dean asked, glancing around Bobby at his sister who was holding up to whiskey bottles, her eyebrow raised.

“Like I said, rough last couple of months.” Bobby frowned.

“Got the location?” Carter asked, tossing them.

“Sam is in Pontiac, Illinois.” Dean grumbled.

“Right near where we buried you two.” Bobby frowned, running a hand down his face.


	3. Slow Riide

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Getting the band back together; Step-two: Find Sam.

Gabriel opened the door a wide smile on his face, “Well you're not the pizza delivery but I am glad to see you!” He hugged Dean and then Carter in turn. 

“Hey, is…” Sam froze, eyes drifting between the three in his doorway. Carter pushed her way past Gabriel, her fingers laced in Dean’s, and Bobby followed. Sam grabbed a silver handled knife and lunged at Dean, Carter skidded under her younger brother, doubling around, kicking out hard, knocking him to his knees. Sam landed two hits to Dean’s chest, knocking him backwards. Gabriel roared with laughter. She slammed hard into the back of Sam, tucking his head in a tight headlock, while Dean tried to recover. “WHO ARE YOU?” Sam screamed, finding his voice again.

“Like you didn’t do this.” Dean motioned between his form and Carters.

“DO WHAT?” Sam shouted, again.

“Sam, it’s them. I’ve been through this already. It’s really Carter, it’s really Dean.” Bobby assured him.

“Bobby is right, Sammich, I heard Castiel across Angel Radio…” Gabriel smiled at him. 

“What?” Sam struggled from his sister’s grasp. 

“I know, I look fantastic, right?” Dean spun, “Carter didn’t look this bad before, but not everyone wins.” 

Carter snarled, punching Dean in the ribs. “Shoulda let Sam end your ass.” 

The next thing they knew Sam had both of them in his arms, Carter smothered between her brothers, and Sam on the verge of tears. Adam burst into the room, from a side door, and water sprung over them all. “ADAM!” Carter surged forward, wrapping her arms around him, “OH, my sweet boy, I’m not a demon, I’m back!” She kissed his cheek, then his nose, “Where are my babies?” Soon Elliott and Ben joined the sibling hug, curled together tight, Elliott clinging to Carter and Ben to Dean. Then Lucas scrambled forward. 

Once they were all settled on the two twin beds, Dean looked at Sam. “So, tell me, what did it cost?”

“You think I made a deal?” Sam asked.

“OR Adam?” Bobby questioned.

“Neither one of us did, right?” Adam cast his glance to Sam.

“No, hell, we tried, no demons would deal with us.” Sam added.

“Sammy, baby, don’t lie to me, ok.” Carter cradled his face in her hands.

Sam glared at her, “We tried everything. That's the truth. I tried opening the Devil's Gate. Hell, I tried to bargain, Dean fuck Carter, but no demon would deal, all right? You were both rotting in Hell for months. For months, and I couldn't stop it. Couldn’t do anything to fix it. So I'm sorry it wasn't me, all right? Carter, I'm sorry.”

“So, Carter’s angel theory is looking better by the second.” Bobby grumbled.

“Dude, Archangel right here saying an Angel brought you back!” Gabriel snarked.

“We believe you, Sammy.” Dean said finally. “Not sure about Carter and her angels, she was on a scenic vacation with the Devil.”

“Dammit, Dean, we were not bringing that up, remember.” Carter snarled, eyes dark and anger on her features.

“Vacation with the devil?” Bobby asked.

“Son of a…” Carter pinched the bridge of her nose. “Remember the dreams I started having, about the man in the field, demons bowing to him, and angels trying to murder him. That man is Lucifer. For the first part of our imprisonment I spent my days with him, in his… castle. They nicknamed me the Queen of Hell, his demons did, anyway. They answered to me, did as I commanded.” Carter paused, eyes looking at Dean. “Luci told me that an angel would come for Dean, and I would either be dragged up with him, or I would remain in hell. He thought that he angel would make the call based on Dean, so I guess the last thing Dean must have thought dealt with me.” Carter sighed. 

“That’s more troubling than you would think.” Gabriel sighed. 

“Why?” Dean asked.

“If Castiel broke a direct order and brought Carter back too, the Host is not going to be pleased. They will probably stick him with another angel, probably one of the ones closer to my age to ‘keep an eye on him’ and ‘condition’ him to not break orders again, my youngest brother is more like Lucifer than most.” Gabriel explained. 

“Something tried to talk to Dean at the gas station, but Dean couldn’t hear him properly, it sounded like death or a high pitched scream to Dean, but I could hear him loud and clear, which bothered Castiel as much as me, because I shouldn’t be able to, when Dean is the righteous man, no I do not know what that means.” Carter frowned. It seemed by the look on Gabriel’s face that he did, but the next moment he was gone, his wings swishing. 

-/-

The pizza arrived, Carter camped out at the top of one of the beds, with Ben and Adam tucked to her, Elliot and Lucas both in her lap. “So, if you didn’t bring us back, what the hell were you all doing here?”

“We’ve been hunting.” Elliott told Carter.

“Hm, really?” Dean held up a pink bra.

“Without outside help? Who’d ya think you were? John Winchester?” Bobby snapped.

“Well, yea, we should have called. Adam and I picked up some things from those two knuckleheads, and we are pretty good at it, like we were born to do it.” Sam chuckled.

“Anyways, we were taking demons out in Tennessee when they made a hard left, and booked it up here, like they knew something was up.” Adam offered.

“We just checked into the motel, and Sammy’s boo came by.” Ben winked at his brother.

“Oh.” Carter chuckled.

“When did they head up here?” Dean asked.

“Yesterday morning.” Sam offered.

“When we busted out.” Carter sighed.

“Let me guess, you think the demons were here because of you?” Bobby asked.

“But why?” Sam asked.

“Who knows, some bad ass with a lot of mojo busted two of hell's most wanted out.” Dean sighed. “It’s gotta be connected somehow.”

“He’s on to something there.” Carter nodded.

“How are you two feeling anyway?” Sam asked, casting a cautious look at his sister, then his brother.

“Fine now.” Carter laughed. “We slept for a day then gorged ourselves on food.” 

“Better than fine, really.” Dean chuckled. “Our bodies came back scarless, one hundred percent repaired, almost innocent.” 

“Except the hand prints.” Carter muttered.

“Handprints?” Lucas asked.

“Mhm, move baby.” Carter stood off the bed, and strode to where Dean was, she turned pressing her body against his side. “Whatever drug us up, held us close.” She pulled her shirt up, revealing the blue green handprint, and Dean did the same. 

“Damn.” Adam grumbled.

“Okay, look, we don't know what they're planning. We got a pile of questions and no shovel. We need help.” Sam sighed, running his fingers through his hair.

“I know a psychic. A few hours from here. Something this big, maybe she's heard the other side talking.” Bobby said after a moment.

“Hell yell, give her a call.” Dean nodded.

“Ok, I’ll be back.” Bobby moved out the door, and closed it behind him.

“Oh, shit, before I forget.” Sam stood, tugging amulet from his neck, on it hung Carter’s silver lip ring with her teal jeweled ball. “This is yours.” He nodded at her lip carefully unscrewing the ball and pressing it towards her, “And this is yours.” He handed the amulet to Dean.

“It has a Devil’s trap painted in it, did you know that?” She asked taking her ring, relieved to run it back through her lip.

“I noticed it when I was taking it off your…” Sam’s voice dropped off.

“It’s ok, Sammy.” Carter and Dean both hugged him.

“He’s taken good care of us.” Ben said suddenly.

“Taught us like you guys taught him.” Elliot smiled at them.

“Taught me the tricks too.” Lucas beamed proud.

Carter and Dean shared a look. “Sam, I am glad we never taught you how to climb out of a buried coffin, but I am so thankful dad made us learn.” Dean said it low.

“He used to make me time that shit.” Sam shivered.

“I know.” Carter grinned. “I still beat Dean.” 

“Really, how fast?” Sam asked.

“Two minutes and eighteen seconds. Dean was out at three minutes even though.” Carter grinned.

“That’s faster than the last time you two practiced, Dean was always about thirty seconds behind you.” Sam laughed.

“Hey, I’m bulkier.” Dean grumbled.

“Should we learn that?” Adam asked.

“No, because Dean and I are never leaving you again.” Carter snapped. Hugging the four younger ones to her again. 

“What was it like?” Sam asked cautiously.

“What? Hell?” Dean frowned.

“I remember a lot of the first part of it. We were gone seven months, but for us it was more like seventy years, Sam. That’s a long time, and time is different there. Dean and I were taken away from each other. I remember what Luci allows me to remember.” Carter sighed.

“I… I blacked out or something, don’t remember a lot of it.” Dean lied.

-/-

When Bobby returned he came with good news. His friend was willing to help them out, but they would need to leave soon. As he looked them over, he realized, “Your all riding in the Impala, aren't you?”

“Yep!” Elliott sang.

“She’s about four hours down the interstate, try to keep up, ok?” Bobby called out to them, already sliding into the old mustang he had driven down.

Dean snatched the keys from Sam, and slid into the driver's seat, after Carter took her spot in the middle. “What the hell is that?” Dean snarled pointing to an iPod as it was connected to the radio.

“My iPod.” Sam sighed.

“You were supposed to take care of her, not douche her up.” Dean sounded hurt, Carter chuckled.

“I thought she was my car.” Sam pouted. “And two someones once told me that if I messed with baby, they would haunt my ass.” Sam sounded like a little kid, so frail. Carter immediately took his hands in hers and kissed his fingertips.

Dean just started the car, as some pop song started playing, by now the kids were loaded in the back, “Really?” Dean glared at Sam.

Sam just shrugged, Dean ripped the iPod from its spot and chucked it into the backseat, hitting Adam in the head. “Dammit Dean!” Adam roared, as Dean slammed his foot on the gas, chasing Bobby.


	4. Seven Spanish Angels

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean seeks Castiel; Carter studies Sam; Bobby is confused

Two hours into the ride, Dean spoke. “There is something bothering me.”

“Really, what?” Carter asked, cautiously.

“Not about you, and your angels.” Dean snapped.

“Then what about?” Sam asked.

“The night we bit it… how did you get away from Lilith?” Dean asked.

“Yeah, Sammy, she wanted to kill you.” Carter added. 

“She tried to kill me, but she couldn’t.” Sam said after a minute.

“Couldn’t?” Carter echoed.

“Couldn’t.” Dean raised an eyebrow.

“She fired this light at me, and it hit me, then kind of dissipated.” Sam paused. “Adam was right beside me, and it didn’t reach to him at all.” 

“We were immune.” Adam added.

“I don’t know who was more surprised, us or her.” Sam chuckled.

“And Ruby?” Carter asked carefully.

“Dead, for now.” Sam offered, he peered into the rearview mirror his eyes meeting Adam, a motion he probably thought Carter missed, but she didn’t. She added it to her things to interrogate her brother on later. “Adam killed her.”

Dean chewed his lip for a moment, then, “Have either of you been using your super power?”

“No.” Elliott answered, maybe just a little too fast.

“No.” Sam agreed.

“You sure about that? Well, I mean, now that you've got... immunity, whatever the hell that is... just wondering what other kind of weirdo crap you've got going on.” Dean started.

“Nothing, Dean. Look, you didn't want me to go down that road, so I didn't go down that road. It was practically your dying wish.” Sam responded.

Carter just sighed and said a very tense, “Good.”

“What about Meg?” Dean asked.

“With Gabriel more than us, but around.” Lucas offered. 

-/-

When they stopped the house looked completely normal from the outside, something that made them chuckle. When the rambunctious looking woman opened the door, and pulled Bobby in for a hug, lifting him briefly from the ground, the Winchesters snickered. “BOBBY!”

“You’re a sight for sore eyes, too.” Bobby smiled at her.

“So, these are the Winchesters?” Pamela asked, looking them over.

“Dean, Carter, Sam, Adam, Ben, Lucas, Elliott. This is Pamela Barnes, best damn psychic in the state.” Bobby motioned to them one at a time.

“Hey.” Dean winked at her.

“Hiya.” Sam and Adam said sheepishly at the same time.

“Hello.” Ben and Elliot smiled and waved.

“Howdy.” Carter smirked at her.

“HOLA.” Lucas waved.

Pamela studied them for a long moment, then grinned. “Mmm-mmm-mmm. Dean and Carter Winchester. Out of the fire and back in the frying pan, huh? Makes you a set of rare individuals.”

“If you say so.” Carter said as Dean replied, “I guess so, yea.”

“Follow me on in here.” Pamela motioned to a round table in the middle of the room, “Everyone around it, leave me a seat.”

“Any luck?” Carter asked, already fearing she knew the answer.

“Well, I Ouija'd my way through a dozen spirits. No one seems to know who broke your souls out, or why.” She responded.

Carter looked pointedly at Dean, “This… is a mistake.” She said even toned.

“Look, tatertot, even if it was an angel, we need to know why.” Bobby squeezed her hand in his.

“An angel?” Pamela chuckled at that.

“So, what’s next?” Dean asked, drawing the attention away to him. 

“A séance, I think. See if we can see who did the deed.” Pamela answered.

“You're not going to summon the damn thing here are you?” Bobby looked ready to step away if that was the case.

“Nah, of course not, just going to try to get a sneak peak, see who did it.” Pamela declared.

“I’m game.” Dean informed them. 

Carter knew there was no use fighting her brother on it. Instead, she did something that she would soon be doing regularly. _“To the angel Castiel, my brother… he’s a hard case, a psychic is going to try to talk to you, please don’t let her die, I felt how powerful you where when you pulled us from the pit, I know how strong your Grace is. Mame her if you must, I know you are looking for a way to talk to Dean, I know I am not supposed to pray to you.”_

Even in her head, she sounded crazy, just to make extra sure she wasn’t losing her mind completely, she knew Lucifer could still pick up angel radio some, _“I love you Luci, I miss you.”_ Not even a moment later, she heard his voice echoing through her head, **_“I love you too, Carter.”_** A smile washed over her features even as Pamela ordered they hold hands.

“I need to touch something the mystery man touched.” Dean and Carter changed places, Carter raising her shirt, and tucking it into her bra, while Dean started peeling his shirt off. 

“Whoa!” Dean recoiled, “He didn’t touch there.” Dean batted Pamela’s hand away from his crotch, making Carter snicker.

“My mistake.” Pamela giggled, laying both her palms on the greenblue brands on the eldest two Winchester’s skin. “Okay, close your eyes.” She hummed then started in, “I invoke, conjure, and command you, appear unto me before this circle. I invoke, conjure, and command you, appear unto me before this circle. I invoke, conjure, and command you, appear unto me before this circle.” The television behind them flickered, and Carter shivered, she could feel Castiel. “I invoke, conjure, and command... Castiel? No. Sorry, Castiel, I don't scare easy.”

“Castiel?” Dean’s eyes shot opened, locking on his sisters, she was right about the name.

“Its name. It's whispering to me, warning me to turn back.” Pamela offered.

“Listen to him.” Carter ordered, she looked more in pain than Dean was, the high pitched whining was back, by now everyone around the table had opened their eyes.

Pamela ignored Carter, “I conjure and command you, show me your face. I conjure and command you, show me your face. I conjure and command you, show me your face.” 

The wind outside picked up, and the television exploded. “Maybe we should stop.” Bobby tried.

“I almost got it!” Pamela cried out.

“No, stop.” Carter tried to move away from her, but Pamela’s grip tightened. Carter could hear Castiel’s warning. 

“I almost got it. I command you, show me your face! Show me your face now!” Pamela ordered.

Carter could feel Castiel's grace bristling under the command, could feel him growing angry, her heart was racing, loud in her ears. She whimpered. The candles grew brighter.

“HE WARNED YOU!” Carter screamed over Pamela’s cries, her eyes wide and burning through with white hot flames. “CASTIEL TOLD YOU THIS WOULD HAPPEN!” Carter wrenched herself away, covering her own ears, and crying. Castiel was sorry, so sorry for what he had done, but she had compelled him, and there had been no stopping. “He’s sorry, so sorry.” Carter dropped to her knees, hands still on her ears. Then the high pitched noise stopped, completely.

“Call 911.” Sam ordered Adam, who quickly complied.

-/-

“What did Bobby say?” Ben asked.

“That Pamela is stable, she’s in ICU.” Sam offered. 

The Winchester seven were seated around a diner. “And blind, because of us.” Dean grumbled.

“Not entirely true, Dean. Cas warned her.” Carter was still rubbing her temples.

“We can summon him, now.” Dean said after a moment.

“No.” Carter growled. “I told you already, he’s getting a vessel, then he will talk to us.”

“What’s a vessel?” Elliott asked.

“It’s a human that is receptive enough for an Angel to be in, basically a human has to agree to give over their bodies.” Carter explained.

“How do you know that?” Adam asked.

“Luci told me.” She muttered, taking a bite of her sandwich.

“Luci?” Adam echoed.

“She means Lucifer.” Dean deadpanned, taking his own bite of food.

“The Devil?” Ben quirked.

“I told you, I met him in hell.” Carter sighed.

“Vacationed in his little private paradise with him.” Dean chuckled.

Carter had had enough, “At least I didn’t spend my days learning Alastair's trade.” She stood abruptly and walked away.

Dean paled, visibly, and frowned. “Shit.”

“Who’s Alastair?” Sam asked.

“No one, it’s nothing.” Dean lied.

When the waitress returned, she had Carter with her, her eyes flashed black. “Sammy here, thought you were looking for us.” 

The cook and several other humans in the diner looked around at them, eyes also black. “Hmmm, Carter and Dean Winchester.” The waitress hummed. “To hell and back. Aren't you a lucky ducklings.” She clucked at them.

“That’s us.” Dean stood, shielding Ben, Lucas, and Elliott from them.

“So you two get to just stroll out of the pit, huh? Tell me. What makes you so special?” The demon licked the side of Carter’s face. Carter glared at her.

“No clue.” Dean spat. “Buuuuut, I like to think it's because of my perky nipples. I don't know. Wasn't my doing, I don't know who pulled me out.” He paused, “Worried the boss might be pissed his girlfriend got jerked out.” Dean nodded his head towards Carter.

The demon rolled her eyes, “Right, you don’t.”

“Seriously, woman, we didn't.” Carter snapped.

“Lying is a sin you know.” She chided them both.

“Ain’t lying.” Dean sighed.

“But I'd like to find out, so if you wouldn't mind enlightening me, Flo.” Carter snarled at her.

“Mind your tone with me, human. I'll drag you back to hell myself.” The waitress glowered, Sam moved, Dean shoved his arm in front of his brother, holding him back.

“No, you won’t.” Carter informed her.

“I won’t?” A smile pulled at the waitresses face.

“No. Because if you were you would have done it already. Fact is, you don't know who cut us loose. And you're just as spooked as we are. And you're looking for answers. Well, maybe it was some turbocharged spirit. Or, uh, Godzilla. Or some big bad boss demon. I'm guessing at your pay grade that they don't tell you squat. Because whoever it was, they want us out. And they're a lot stronger than you. So go ahead. Send us back. But don't come crawling to me or Carter when they show up on your front doorstep with some Vaseline and a fire hose.” Dean shot at her, standing a little taller than before.

“I'm going to reach down your throat and rip out your lungs.” The waitress growled, Carter elbowed her in the ribs right as Dean punched her not once but twice.

“That’s what I thought.” Carter laughed, stepping away, motioning for the younger five to get out of the booth and into the car. 

“That's what I thought. Let's go, Sam.” Dean echos his sister, fishing out a ten dollar bill and slamming it on the table, “That is for the pie.” He offered. 

Once outside Sam looked between Dean and Carter. “We need to waste them.” 

“Sammy, there is only one knife we have that does that, and I’m a bit rusty on my Latin.” Carter frowned.

“We can’t just leave them they are dangerous. I’ve been killing a lot more than three on my own…” Sam started.

“Yea, well the smarter siblings are back in town. We got bigger things to worry about.” Dean chided, before taking off, the others following him, and Carter giving Sam an appraising look. 

-/-

“You know, his sneaking out hasn’t improved.” Carter put her boot clad feet on the table of the motel room they had. Adam, Ben, Lucas, and Elliott were fast asleep. 

“Yeah, I know, brat.” Dean sighed.

“He’s hiding something.” Carter declared.

“Ya think?” Dean snapped.

“I think it has to do with Gabriel or his superpower.” Carter sighed.

“Why would he fuck with either of those, he said…” Dean’s voice trailed off.

“When does he ever listen to us, Dean?” Her voice was cautious as she said it. “Meg I can feel you, come on in.”

The demon stepped in, eyeing them. “Gigantor out with the trickster I suppose?” As Carter nodded, Meg winked at her. Dean ignore the exchange. 

“I hate when you're right.” Dean sighed, “Your hair is darker, you know that, almost crimson and brown together,” He ran his fingers through her locks of hair. “Carter, what was it like with Lucifer.” 

Meg was curious as well. She dropped into the seat next to Carter and watched silently.

“Complicated.” She sighed. “At first he yelled a lot, screamed, struck out at me, because I was human, I was flawed. It was a lot of me slowly coaxing him into talking to me. When he finally did, the floodgates sort of opened, he told me his side of the story, told me everything about heaven, about the world. Falling, feeling the heaviest betrayal, pride was his sin, Dean.” She sighed. “I guess we sort of fell in love. He begged me, begged me not to take my place on the rack, but I did, I did to be with you, to share your burden, to make sure you would never ever kill an innocent or torture an innocent soul, let that blood be on someone else's hands, but I fear now I was the innocent.” She frowned.

“What are you talking about?” Dean asked.

“I didn’t believe him.” Carter frowned.

“About?” Dean asked.

“The apocalypse, but now…” She sighed, “Now it makes sense.”

“What does?” Dean asked.

“I’ll explain it after we talk to Castiel.” She offered.

“Castiel, you think he’s still working out a vessel or whatever?” Dean asked.

Carter only nodded, her eyes trained on the door. Meg followed her gaze and hissed. “Angel boy seeks you.”

The high pitched noise started out as a slow hum, and grew, waking all the siblings, Carter covered her own ears, then shouted. “CASTIEL THEY CAN’T!”

Adam frowned, covering Elliott’s ears, and bundling her and Ben under the covers, Lucas pressed a pillow to his head, blood was pouring from Dean’s eyes and nose. “STOP CAS!” She shouted, louder. “MEG GET THEM OUTTA HERE!” 

Bobby flung himself into the room as the mirrors broke. “GET OUTTA HERE NOW!” 

Carter and Bobby pulled Dean up between them, as Adam carried all three younger siblings out with Meg's help, once in Bobby’s car, her siblings released their holds on their ears and started cleaning blood off of them. Dean jerked out his phone, “Sam, hey, where you at?” 

“Went to get a burger, couldn’t sleep.” Sam lied on speaker.

“Oh, in my car?” Dean asked, interested.

“Force of habit, I guess.” Sam chuckled.

“Bobby’s back.” Carter said.

“Cool. Good.” Sam sounded distracted.

“Sammmy.” A very Gabriel like whine sounded. 

“We are going out with him, kids are with us.” Dean told him. “Meg is here too.”

“All right, well, uh, spill some beer for me, huh?” Sam joked.

“Sure thing, Sammy.” Carter hit the end button and shared a look with Dean.

Bobby was growing irritated with his wayward adopted children, “Why didn’t you tell him?” 

“He’d try and stop us.” Carter pinched her nose.

“From?” Bobby asked.

“Summoning Castiel.” Dean explained.

“You're ok with this now?” Adam asked his sister.

“I have to be, Cas said it would be safe within the hour for us to talk to him.” Carter sighed.

“You really understand the high pitched noise?” Ben asked.

“It’s not like that for me, for me, it’s his voice, or wavelength. His grace is very powerful, it sort of emanates and bounces around in my brain.” She offered.

“Your not serious right now.” Bobby frowned.

“As a heart attack, it’s high noon baby.” Dean cooed.

“But, with that said, everyone stays in the car, except Bobby, me and Dean. You saw what happened to Pamela.” Carter looked back at her siblings, who nodded. The Mustang didn’t have middle seat so she was perched on Dean’s lap.

“This is a bad idea.” Bobby sighed.

“Hate to agree with Bobby, but this is a stupid idea. I'll go keep an eye on Sam and Gabe. Call me Adam, when they die.” Meg disappeared in a wisp of smoke. 

“Couldn’t agree with you more, you got any other choices?” Carter asked.

“We could chose life?” Bobby joked.

“Castiel needs to talk to Dean.” Carter frowned, her brow knitting.

“See. Bobby, whatever this is, whatever it wants, it's after me. That much we know, right? I've got no place to hide. I can either get caught with my pants down again, or we can make our stand.” Dean asserted.

“We could really use Sam on this.” Bobby sighed.

“He is lying to us.” Carter snapped.

“Huh?” Adam looked conflicted.

“He’s lying about his superpower, Carter’s mom sense are tingling again.” Dean joked.

“She’s right.” Ben deadpanned. “Mom always knows.”

“I’ve been a good girl, mommy and not using my super power.” 

“Good honey.” Carter winked at Elliott.

Dean frowned, “See, Bobby, he is better off where he is.” Carter fiddled with the radio dial, finally settling on an oldies station, and humming out the notes to the static laced rendition of 'Seven Spanish Angels' even as Dean pressed the palm of his hand against the center of her back, he wanted very much for her to be right about the Angel, but he'd been screwed over one to many times.


End file.
